Examples of allegory in beowulf. SparkNotes: Beowulf: Themes 2019-01-12
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Christian Elements in Beowulf
The theme of Beowulf is a contrast of good and evil which is manifest in both Christian and pagan elements; Beowulf represents good, while Grendel, his mother, and the dragon represent evil. Yet it is that very pride and boastfullness that help make a heroic warrior capable of achieving the greatest of deeds. Beow is the son of Shield Sheafson and father of Halfdane. Often a symbol is emblematic of the values of the characters. Enraged, the dragon emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery destruction upon the Geats.
Songs are sung in praise of Beowulf, and the celebration lasts late into the night. This creates a schizophrenic culture. Even in such unexpected places as in seemingly pagan poems of ancient Danes and Geats- an epic with dragons and monsters- one still finds similar biblical allusions. The first monster our hero, Beowulf, faces is Grendel. Of the twelve apostles, all but Saint John left Christ on the cross out of fear of death. It is not until well into the medieval period that Christianity reaches full bloom and the quality of heroic arrogance falls into disrepute.
The people of the kingdom are, at first, nervous of having a man fight the monster, Grendel, but are soon proven that Beowulf is the only option. The virtuous Beowulf is shown as a contrast to Heremod, who neglected the needs of his people and his duties as a King, immersing himself into joys and amusement. An unfamiliar book is meant to be read, reread, dog-eared, and annotated until its true beauty is unlocked. In this reference to the biblical flood, the author of is suggesting that the sword's creators were descendants of those that caused God to bring on the flood perhaps even suggesting that they were descendants of Cain. However, there is also a strong sense that God's protection must be earned; a warrior must first be true to his values, courage, honesty, pride, and humility and only then will he earn God's protection. King Hrothgar was not always a gentle lord. Throughout the story repeatedly acknowledges God as his protector.
However, the story is about Pagan people and certain aspects of their culture are even glorified. The Beowulf-poet also manipulates the dragon allegory to represent Rome, but his dragon represents not Rome, pure and simple, but a hostile area of the former Roman empire, the Romanized Britain or the Roman-British. Essentially, allegory is the implementation of symbols and metaphors as a means of progressing the narrative in a story or relaying a message of sorts. Beowulf, a poem in British literature from the eighth century, showcases the concept of real heroism. When a king was crowned in Anglo-Saxon times, his responsibilities included, among other things, providing a mead-hall. It was not thought to be written down until 750 A. Be thou a guardian to my followers, my comrades.
Christian Allegory In Beowulf by Nick Curtis on Prezi
In addition to earthly protection, there is also the sense that all earthly good, be it success or wealth, derives from God. The character of Beowulf frequently speaks to God and obviously believes in His existence. According to Christianity, God instills within mankind a sense of free will, which directly contrasts with the pagan idea of fate. The poem creates an oral depiction of an epic hero who strived to fight against the forces of evil. The cave itself represents a world alien to Heorot.
Christian Allegory In Beowulf by Nick Curtis on Prezi
While this transformation over time has added a new Variable to the plot, it is still impossible to try and erase the original pagan Plot completely. Only after experiencing and understanding modern symbolism can one fully appreciate the story in question. The poet uses them sparingly, but the references to biblical events and characters are clearly evident. The Beowulf-poet also manipulates the dragon allegory to represent Rome, but his dragon represents not Rome, pure and simple, but a hostile area of the former Roman empire, the Romanized Britain or the Roman-British. Whether your purpose is to win a scholarship, get enrolled in university, analyze the latest events or write for college, here you will be able to find the detailed information on any essay type you need.
On the one hand some scholars have said that this is the result of a transcription made by some monks where they added the christian elements, on the other hand it is believed that the poem was written in a period in which the Anglo-Saxons were being converted from their worship of Germanic Pagan gods to the Christian God. However wide the dichotomy of values may be, appears to have achieved the difficult balance between pride and humility. The manuscripts date back to about 1000 A. It is widely believed that Beowulf is the work of a single poet, who was a Christian and the poem reflects a well established Christian tradition. So when all the people were sleeping he attacked and killed thirty men. The other is dark and dank and full of evil, beneath a mere in the middle of a fen and the symbolic home of resentful outcasts. The author does not explain the entire story of Cain and Abel - he just refers to it and expects the reader to already be familiar with the story.
Beowulf As Christian Allegory :: Epic of Beowulf Essays
That makes them extremely useful and expressive tools. But he also teaches the lessons of Christian philosophy: that wealth, accumulated through the grace of God, must be shared unselfishly. The problem with Grendel is that he seems to. Cain is the son of Eve, the woman who bore sin into the world. The Allegory of the Dragon in Beowulf In the Book of the Apocalypse, Rome is represented by several allegories: the beast of the land, the beast from the sea, the harlot, Babylon, and the dragon. The slaying of Grendel represents Beowulf's passage into adulthood.
